Improvement in street-cars



J, STEPHENSON.

STREET GAR.

No. 87,120. Patented Feb. 23. 1869.

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JOHN STEPHENSON,

OF NEW YORK, N. v.

Lam Patent No. 87,120, dated February 23,1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-CARS: i

--4- The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

. full and exact specification of the same, wherein I have set forth the nature and principles of my said improvement, by which my invention may be distinguished from all others of a similar class, together with such' parts as I claim, and desire to have secured to me by Letters Patent.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the constructionof street-cars, and has for its object durability in the construction of the platforms of such cars, and the parts immediately con-' nected therewith, together with a view of obtaining a greater degree of comfort and safety for passengers. The platforms of a street-car are their most vulnerable parts, as they project a considerable distance from each end, and consequently are brought in contact with various vehicles, the heavier kinds of which, such as large drays, trucks, 860., frequently do serious damage. The platforms, also, during certain hours of the day, in large cities, are heavily laden with passengers, and this excessive weight not only requires the flooringv timbers to be of good material and requisite size, but

also to be well braced, and attached to the car-bed in such a manner as to insure a proper degree of strength, so that the platforms will be abundantly able to sustain the weight to which they are often subjected, as well as to successfully resist the collisions which fiequently occur.

In addition to this, the various attachments or concomitant parts of platforms, such as the grab-irons, the steps, and the dashers, as now made, admit of considerable improvement, with a view of insuring greater durability, and obtaining a greater degree of safety for passengers,

The dashers, which are of sheet-metal, are frequently. injured by the draught-pole, the rear end of the latter being often, through carelessness of the driver, and other causes, forced through the dasher.

.The sudden starting and stopping of the team also subjects the platform's-to severe strains, for which some remedy should be devised, and the dashers require to e I be better secured against outward" pressure from pas-. sengers.

All these difliculties, in connection with some minor ones, which will be presently stated, it is believed are fully obviated by my improvements,hereinafter fully shown and described.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings- I Figure 1 is an inverted plan'of a portion of a street car, constructed according to my invention.

Figure 2, a side view of the same. Figure 3, an enlarged side view of a portion of the car. a

' gers on the platform.

A fruitful source of accidents in travelling on street- Figure 4, a transverse section of a car-step, taken in the line a; x, fig. l. Figure 5, a detached front view of the bufi'er. Similar lettersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several drawings.

A represents the bed or bottom timbers of the sides of a street-car, and

O 0' represent the bearing-timbers of one of the plat.-

,forms of the same.

' The two inner platform-bearers, 0 C, may be parallel with each other and the sides of the bed-timbers 'A, but the outer bearers, G 0, have an oblique position, as shown clearly in fig. 1, their inner ends being bolted to the side sills or timbers A of the side of the car, as shown at a a, and also secured, by clamps b, to the cross-sill or timber c of the bed.

The inner platform-bearers are also secured to the cross-sill or timber 0,,by similar clamps, b, the inner ends of 0 being bolted directly to a cross-timber, d, of the bed.

Hitherto the inner ends of the outer platform-bearer or timbers 0 O O 0, have been bolted eitherto the cross-timbers d, or to some other subordinate part, which failed to give the requisite degree of strength.

The side timbers A of the bed are not only heavier than the others, but are also more firmly heldor retained in position, and consequently are better calculated to sustain the platform-timbers O O.

D represents the nose-piece or buffer-bar of the platform, which is very liable to be wrenched off, in consequence of vehicles coming in contact with itsends, as the latter project beyond the sides of the platformtimbers O O, as shown in fi'g. 1.

In order to avoid this diificulty, I attach an iron angle-brace or anchor, D one end to the nose-piece D, and the other, to the bearer 0, at each side of the car, as shown in figs. 2 and 3. These braces or anchors effectually prevent the nose-piece being wrenched off or carried away'.

E represents the dasher, constructed of sheet-metal,

attached to uprights F, the lower ends of which are secured in'the nose-piece D.

' These uprights, F, require to be very firmly secured in position, in order to prevent the dasher being forced outward or backward, under the pressure of a crowd of passengers on the platform.

To avoid this contingency, I make the collars c, at the lower ends of the uprights, with limbs, or brack-- ets f, projecting inward, over the upper surface of the nose-piece, and firmly secured thereto, as shown in figs. 2 and'3.

These limbs or brackets serve .s an eficient stay for the uprights F, and efl'ectual prevent them from being forced outward under the pressure of passencars is due to passengers slipping ofi' from the step. I

provide against this contingency as far as possiblaby der sides, so as to form upward-projecting spurs on their upper surfaces, as shown at 'g in fig. 4.

No holes or perforations are designed to be made,

but simply a series of spurs, to form a roughened or corrugated surface, to prevent Slipping.

In addition to. this I have oblong slots It, made in the steps, with a piece of India rubber, i, placed against the under side of the step, and ametal plate, j, screwed up against the rubber, so as to causezthe latter to protrude up through the slots It, and serve as a foot-hold, as will be fully understood by referring to fig. 4.

The perforating of the step, which has been hitherto done, in order to form a 'foothold, although partially eii'ecting this result, is attended with a rather serious objection, for the perforations admit of the tips of umbrellas and the ends of the crutches of invalids to pass through, which is the source of many aecidcnts in getting on and off from the cars. My improvement efi'cctuallyobviates this ditficulty.

In the event of a person slipping off from the step, the oblique sides of the platform prevent him from dropping in line with the wheels, 'for it will be observed that the sides of the platform which adjoins the carbody, are out beyond the line of the wheels. The danger, therefore, of being run over or injured by the wheels will be fully obviated.

The steps are swaged or struck up, with a flange, (17 at their front and rear edges, the rear flange extending npward,.and the front flange extending downward, as shown clearly in fig. 4. These flanges render the steps stili" and firm. The outer edge of the step is also rounded, as shown clearlytin fig. 1, which prevents. injury if vehicles .come in contact with it, as the latter will readily be warded ofi'.

The grab-irons A which are secured to the car-- body, have hitherto been attached by screws, which, when the surrounding wood decays, are liable to draw out when suddenly wrenched or grasped. Many accidents occur by this means, and I avoid this byhaving the grab-irons secured by bolts 70, extending entirely through the corner-timbers, or pillars ta of the car, and having nuts I on their outer ends, as plainly exhibited in fig-'2.

In order to carry out this plan in a practicable and perfect manner, it is essential that the comer-post and lining be so arranged that the bolts may be readily put through the corner-posts.

In order to avoid the unpleasant jars and concussions, which are due to the sudden stopping and starting of the car, I employ a bufl'er, which consists of a socket, G bolted fiiinly to the under side of the nosepiece D.

The slide m, .to which the draught-pole H is connected, passes through this socket, and through Indiarubber or other springs, n, at the rear end of the socket, a nut, 0, being on the inner end of the rod m, at the outer side of the springs.

The rod on has a yielding or spring pendant, p, attached, which serves as a bearingfor the bracket 9, at the under side of the draught-pole.

This bracket is designed to keep the draught-pole at the proper degree of elevation, but in the event of the sagging thereof, by adjusting the nut 0, the pendant 1) will yield, or give, and move forward sufficiently to elevate the draught-pole to the properangle.

The front end of the socket Gr is provided with a plate, 7', which abuts against the outer side of the dasher, and protects the same against inadvertent thrusts of the rear of the draught-pole. This plate a is corrugated, in order toinsure strength, and also to prevent the eye-bar s,at the rear of the draught-pole,

from slipping on the plate 1', when it comes in con-' tact with it. (See fig. 5.)

The eye-bar s is fitted in a slot, in the front end oi' the slide m, and is secured by a drop-bolt, t.

By means of the several improvements herein specified, the platforms of cars, and the parts connected, are very materially strengthened, the cars, in conse--*' quence, rendered far more durable, and accidents,which uprights E to the upper surface of the nosepiece or buifer, by means of limbs or brackets f, substantially as shown and described.

2. The corrugated plate 4', at the fi'ont 'endof the socket G for the purpose of protecting the dasher from inadvertent thrusts of the draught-pole, as set forth. 1

, JOHN STEPHENSON- Witnesses:

LEANDER M. DE LAMATER, J can A. TAOKAHERN. 

